


Hero (A Doctor Who Fanfiction)

by Black_Blooded



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: 11th Doctor, Fish Fingers and Custard, Other, bowties are cool
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-07 03:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4247079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Blooded/pseuds/Black_Blooded
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phoenix was just a regular college student, and then she met the Doctor. Before, all she knew is how to find what X equals, but now she knows that time has a way of changing the world in mysterious ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fish Fingers and....Custard?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DestinyAwaitsNo1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestinyAwaitsNo1/gifts).



> I am always up for suggestions! Happy Reading!

I gasped when I turned a corner and ran smack dab into a man. Being the clumsy person I am, I fell. Making both of us drop whatever we were holding.

"Dammit." I muttered when I opened my eyes to blurriness. 

"Oh...uh...Are you ok?" Said the man. 

As good as I could be. "Yes, do you see my glasses anywhere?" I asked. I was just on my way to Davis UC when this had to happen. I was already late as is....

"Umm..." Then I heard a crunch. I began to blindely feel around, probably looking like an idiot. Before I could search not three feet around me, I heard a whooshing sound. "Ah, here they are." From what I could hear, he was a Brit.

Next thing I knew I could see clearly, as he put them back on my nose. What I saw was a man....in a bowtie... But in the next moment I was shocked that was the first thing I noticed. His green eyes glanced over at me as I blinked dumbly. "Thank you." I said breathlessly. When my brains wiring began to speed up again, I wondered what that cruching noise had been if it wasn't my glasses.

"No problem." He helped me up by the arm. We stand there awkwardly for a moment before he said, "Well, I should be going." 

"Right, of course. Uh...thanks for the help." I respond. He nodded and then strided away.

I fixed my sweater, completely forgeting the bitter cold from being filled with embarassed heat. After I picked up my books and bag, I saw a Long John Silver's bag left on the floor. Crap, that must have been that mans'.

"Hey, you forgot your...." I said as I turned around. But then I saw him jogging towards a tiny blue box. "Ughhh..." I sighed.

I began to run after him. "Hey! Come back!....Uh....Excuse me!" But he had already stepped into the box. I sped up and runned in after him. I pushed the door open, I fell for the second time in one day.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed when he finally noticed me. 

"You, ow...left your food." I said while hoisting myself back up using a nearby rail. I picked up and peered into the bag. "Your fish fingers and...What is that?.... Custard?"

"Oh, wow thank you." He said hesitantly. After I handed the bag to him he picked up my books. "What, are you in college?" 

"Umm...uh, yeah. I go to the," I coughed awkwardly. "The UC down a couple streets." Something enterd his eyes for a moment.

"Brilliant, um..." He hesitated, as if at war with himself, before he shrugged. "I'm the Doctor." He said, holding out his hand. 

"Doctor of what?" I asked confused. 

He smiled to himself then, while chuckling. "It's just the Doctor."

"Alright, 'Just The Doctor'. I'm Phoenix." I said while accepting his hand.


	2. Melody Malone

He smiled brilliantely before he exclaimed, "Goodness! Your hands are freezing!" He went to shut the door, and that is when I realized just how big this 'tiny' blue box was. I looked up and down, and all around, after I let out a gasp, my eyes once again met the Doctors'. He stared at me with a knowing face, as if waiting for me to say something.

"So...fish fingers and custard, huh? What's that like?"

Apparently, that is not what he expected me to say and his smile faded slightly. 

"Well, it's actually quite amazing." He said while he sat in a nearby chair and put his feet up on some console....Yeah, it was that huge in here. He's taking out the food as I pulled up a chair across from him. He dips the crispy fish finger into the sauce, getting a generous amount all over it.

He looks up at me with a goofy smile as he nods expectantly at me. I take this creation and take a bite of it.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise and continue to eat it gratefully. He nonchalantly shoots his arm into the air with victory.

I laugh. "So Doctor, what's your story?" I say, impersonating his British accent. Apparently....he was not amused.

"Well, I can tell you its a long one." His eyes begin to wander and stare off into the empty space. "Let's just say I'm sort of a loner, I guess."

"No family?"

"Nope." He said, popping the p.

I could tell it was a sticky situation, so I didn't push him any further. He changed the subject quickly enough anyway.

"Enough about me. What about you, Phoenix? There's got to be an interesting back story to that interesting name." He elbowed me jokingly.

"Nah, not really. Silly kinda. My mom used to have dreams about a planet called Phoenix where the days seem shorter and the nights seem longer. She said when she "visited" she would have the greatest times. So I guess she wanted me to be.... something great? I don't know..."

He stared at me for quite a while, trying to hold back a grin. "What?" I ask with my own hesitant smile.

"Nothing..." He chuckles. "So what's of your family now then?"

"It was always been just me and my mom. She died a couple years ago at gun point. She was just walking home....and..." I didn't finish, I didn't need to. The Doctor's jaw was set in a tight way at my response.

"So I guess I'm kind of a loner too." I elbowed him back from earlier, an attempt at a lighter mood. We stared at each other for a while before I remembered something. I cursed under my breath while standing up.

"What is it?" The Doctor asked.

"I was late as is, now I've probably missed all of my first class." I said while rapidly picking up my stuff. He helped me.

I was almost out of the door before I realized he had his back to me, back on the top of the stairs.

"Doctor? Are you o-" I began.

"Where did you get this?!" He whipped around. He held up my new book that I found this morning.

"Oh, that. Well see, I tripped over it on my walk, so I picked up to see what it was. It has no owner name in or on it, so I was going to turn it in the...." I droned off. "Hey, what's wrong?"

His grip was firm on the book, turning his knuckles white. "It's...It's Mel...Mel." He tried. Can he not read?

"Melody Malone." I offered.

He peered up at me as if I slapped him. Was it something I said?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! For those of you that may not know/remember, 'Melody Malone' is the book River wrote and gave to Amy in "The Time of Angels".   
> Hope you guys like it so far. Happy reading!


	3. Air Catcher

The Doctor's eyes turned almost defeated. But before anything more could be said, the emotions were wiped from his face-all vulnerablity removed. 

"So Davis, you said?" His voice neutral. I nod slightly. He does the same and starts to walk towards the door. "Come on, then..." He says, opening the door.

I stare at him in confusion for a couple of seconds, before walking towards him. Something makes me stop next to him in the entryway. Looking at the outside of the 'telephone box' into the grassy scene before me, I began to have a bad feeling...and I didn't know why.

Trees from across the street were so big and overwhelming that they criss-crossed together, forming an almost roof. I've always wanted to live in this kind of neighborhood. Classy and quiet. The houses seemed to carry the color on them with no fade, like a new paint job was given every single day.

A few seconds passed as The Doctor watched me as I followed the swing of one of the tree branches, like a taunting hand gesturing forward. Finally, I looked up at him. He was very much taller than me, curse my short body. He let out a sigh.

"You know, you never commented on my..." He scoffed. "...humble abode." 

I looked around at the vast room, seeing doors and other entry ways for the first time. A randon console in the middle of the room was lit up with buttons and gizmos gilore, though no wires were connected. I just smiled slightly and said, "Stranger things have happened."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Huh..Well, um. You should be getting back." A pause as he stared at my face. "To..." He gestured to the outisde, as if where we were now was an entirely different world. Maybe it was. So I looked down and stepped between these two worlds. 

After a few short feet, he shut the door. And I heard a sound I won't soon forget. 

~~~~~~~~~~

The wind blew through my dark brown-reddish hair. I ran my fingers through the ends as I walked. That was crazy. To anyone else, I'm sure they would have reacted differnetly. But I just...didn't. Life's seemed differently lately. I think it's okay to have a time in your life when you just say whatever happens happens. And I guess that's what I'm saying. 

But what happened next was unexpected. There was a loud creaking sound and then something yanked me from behind as I screamed. It was hard and scratchy, but worst of all not a hand.

Was this bark? I try to turn my head but then I was thrown. Another barked limb caught me. I pulled a nd twisted with all my might but there was nothing I could do. My hair was blowing in front of me as I was going backwards against my will at lightening speed. 

The grip was too tight. I was thrown again, breathing as much as I could while I still could. Ouch! Splinter. This time I was caught around my stomach rather than side; and I thought of my pocket knife in my boot. Crap. I tried to reach it but couldn't. Stretching through my extreme disorientation, I felt it's cool steel handle...as it slipped through my fingers.

It fell, along with my grip on sanity. My sight was too blurry. With all of my last bit of strength I elbowed what was behind me. 

And I dropped quiet a ways to the ground, hitting my head on the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration from Air Catcher by Twenty One Pilots!
> 
> Happy reading....


	4. A World of Fall

My eyes felt too heavy, my body not responding to my instructions. Get up. Get up. Such a simple thing, I laughed inwardly. Finally, my eyelashes fluttered and everything was bright. My head lolled around a bit before I could actually lift it off of the ground. 

An orange sky seemed to swallow up everything, it appeared to be morning. There were many trees but none were green; only autumn colors. It was like I fell into a world of fall. I ran my fingers over the smooth surface beneath me, which was also another shade of orange. 

It was then that I realized I was not alone. A pair of two yellow eyes stared at me curiously.

"Iali, what are you doing?" An enchanted voicew said from afar. 

'Iali' crooked his head to the side. I knew it was boy by his facial structure. As he leaned in closer, he opened his mouth to speak.

"What do you think you are doing?!" He did not move away, but only turned to look at the other being. "Stranger danger, Iali! Oh, what mother would say!" 

He righted himself and calmly strolled to her side. All the while I laid on the ground, my mouth agape. The wind blew through her firey red hair, much like mine did if I was in the sun. Though my hair was a darker brown, it always had a hint of red.

"Tis' nothing but a girl, Iri. I see no danger in the Raela." He spoke with an airy sort of feel. Making shivers run down my spine.

"Quit the shakespeare." She grumbled; he only chuckled. He turned to me. 

"Do you speak, Raela?"

I fumbled over my own words. "W-where am I?" He chuckled again. 

"We will take you to Saesur."

"Noooo we will not!" Said Iri, while stretching out the 'no'. "Come along, Iali! I thought we were going to Isris, Saesur is many a day's journey the other way." She said, pointing in multiple directions,

"We may not leave her. She cleary knows not were she is. We will be chastised if we leave her here." 

Iali seemed to carry too much wisdom for his age. He couldn't be a day over 23. Despite his boyish looks, this should be a time were you encounter fun as young adult. He spoke as if he knew all of lives hard ships. 

Finally they turned to speak to me. "They call me Iali, and this is my sister Iri. We must take you to our King, Saesur." 

He picked me up by the forearms, making sure I was steady. He then started walking forward, dragging me with him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I stumbled out of his grasp, he only grabbed again out of concern. "What is going on? Where am I? Wha-what's with all...this?" I gestured to everything around me, gaining some confidence. 

"We will help, just remain cal-"

"Oh! Just let me sedate her! It'll make it all easier!" Iri exclaimed. I put my arms in a defensive stature, just like my mom taught me. 

"No, no. That's not the way." I was hyperventilating now. He gently took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Hey...hey. It's okay. You're okay. Everything's going to be alright." His smooth tone and warm eyes calmed me. I relaxed.

He smiled. "See? There we go! Nothing to worry about." He rubbed up and down my arms before releasing me and started walking again. "Come along...come along."

I hestiantly followed this strange boy into the unknown before us.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You must be hungry." Said Iri. She offered me what appeared to be a sandwhich. She smiled. "Don't worry, it's good!" She took a bite of her own. 

I gratefully ate. Iali had left a few minutes ago to scope out the territory...for whatever reason.

"How...how much longer?"

"It's only been a few hours." She laughed airly. These people were quite unique. Iali and Iri looked almost exactly alike, the same curious yellow eyes; though they seemed to look more warm then creppy. Firey red hair in the bright sun. They had strong built bodies and were stunningly beautiful.

One differnce was there faces. Were her angles were sharp and intimadating, his were smooth and innocent. Though, I was almost positive he would have no problem in handling his own.

I heard twigs and leaves crunching as Iali enterred our mini camp. "I brought fire wood, the coast seems to be clear." He turned to me. " Congratulations on you're first day, but now It's going to be a long night." 

Night? Now that I looked around it was indeed getting darker as Iri set up the fire. How wierd. She said it had only been a few hours. Either way, I knew I wasn't in California anymore. Looks like I'd be much later to class than I had thought.

Doctor, oh Doctor...where have I gone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay or nay with the turn of the book? Hope everyone likes it. 
> 
> Hapy Reading....


	5. This Blue Feeling....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, I know! And I'm sorry for that :/ Better than nothing, right?

I never did care much for the color of orange, so therefore I never knew how much depth it had. As I lay down watching this strange new sky above me, it seemed like my a-thousand-miles-a-minute brain was slowing down to take it all in. To smell the orange roses, I laughed to myself. 

It was darker now, and I still didn't know where I was. All I did know was that I was in a strange land filled with strange people, down to non-specifics of course. Come to think of it, everything had become strange ever since the Doctor waltzed into my life. Funny how he wasn't here now. Would that make things any better? He never did add much clarity. Plenty of mystery, I'll give him that. 

As I lay alone, I suddenly entertained a nagging thought. I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I found I was right. A yellow pair of eyes. 

"What are you doing?" Iali asked in the strange accent of theirs. He lay on his belly with his head in his hands some distance away, his feet swinging in the air behind him. He looked too innocent for his age.

"Trying to go to sleep..." I responded.

He tilted his head delicately to the side and pondered for a second. "Sleep," He said, as if he was trying out the word for the first time. "What's that?"

"What's sleep?" I thought for a second. "Sleep is like rest. Your body shuts down for a while so it may conserve or create more energy."

His eyebrows raised. "Why would any one want to do that? Immobile if only for a few seconds with no way of...of... protecting yourself. Sounds terrible."

"You could think of it as defencless, others may say peaceful."

"What would you say?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Me? No ones ever asked me such strange questions." I laughed. "I've never taken sleep like every one else. I find it long and sometimes unnessesary. Much like vegtables." I joked. 

Iali stared at me for a few seconds. I looked around to see Iri playing with a strand of her long hair. 

"Are you saying you never sleep?" I wondered curiously.

"Become defencless? No. Rest? From time to time."

What could these people possibly need to defend themselves against?

The world was sometimes a scary place. I remember thinking that and only that for several months after my mother was killed. I knew I could take care of myself if I needed to because of her, I just didn't know if I would ever be able to bring myself to do it. She always taught me that kindness is a virtue, but I've also learned that aggression is necessary. You can't let people take you for granted.

"We should move on." Said Iri, jumping up.

"In the dark?"

"Unless you're scared..." She taunted while packing up. Sighing, I began to do the same. 

"So...why take me to your leader?" I mean, come on. What are they aliens? Oh. They actually probabaly are. Which would mean I was on an alien planet. Whoever spiked my drink was seriously in trouble.

"He will know how to help you." Said Iali confidently. You could tell he had pride in his King. To bad he doesn't know that monarchism doesn't always work out. He turned his head to the silent Iri. "You know I will take you to Isris after, don't you Ri?"

She said nothing. "Come on. Come onnnnn." He made his head turn upside down to look her in the eyes. She shoved him away. 

Walking turned into lumbering, then turned into trudging.

Iri and Iali were fighting...again. He often did something to annoy her or said something to each other that made one upset.

"But what do you mean 'I'm no fun'. I can have a joyous time whenever I want!" Said Iri.

"Oh really? Since when? I haven't seen you like that in years."

"I'm gunna take a drink by the lake." I say, though I don't think either of them heard me over their loud bickering. 

I stepped through the tree line as I made my way towards the sound of the running water. When I finally found it I bent by the waters and drank. It tasted like no water I'd ever had before! So tasteful for such a plain thing. The sun was finally rising and it was beautiful against the clear waters. So beautiful I wanted to cry. Infact....I was?

As I blurrily tried to make my way back to the twins I noticed broken leaves on the ground and I began to be sad. Oh, poor leaf! It's not its fault that it's broken... Tears striked my face as I saw a chipmuck running along the ground. Look at how fast it could go! But then a fox like creature was running behind it.... chasing it! Oh my, it was killing it!

I sobbed and sobbed till Iri broke through the treeline. "Little Raela? Raela! There you are.... What on earth are you crying about?"

That only made me sadder. "On Earth? Earth...OH....." I sobbed. "The earth is a cruel place."

Iali, who had come in after her, stood puzzled for a moment. And then he burst out laughing! This was no time to laugh....

"Did you-did you....HA! Ha ha ha... Did you have some of that BLUE water? Ha! Did it make you...a little....BLUE!?" It seemed like he couldn't contain himself.

"Iali, stop it! Did you drink from the water down there?" She pointed. I sniffed and nodded. "Of course, you did..." She sighed. "That water, umm...makes you feel attached? To your...inner feelings that is. You become a little over dramatic."

"WHAT?! Oh no.......How long coulld it possibly last!?" How cruel was life!?

"About an hour." Iali chuckled silently. Iri gave him a warning look. 

The sounds of Iali's laughter and my sobbing filled the night. Iri looked pained. "This is going to be a long journey."


	6. Run

"Are we there yet?" I asked.

I had told myself time after time not to ask that same question. I didn't want to be that one person you travel with that asks the typical, annoying question like a child, 'Are we there yet'. But after hours and hours of walking, I couldn't hold it in. And when neither Iri or Ilia answered, I spoke up again.

"Do you guys no how much longer our 'splendid adventure' is?" 

It was too quiet, I didn't like it. I wanted to fill it with noise, any noise! Conversation would do. Now, not only was it quiet, but it we had stopped for some unknown reason.

"Guys? Why did we stop?"

"Make it be quiet!" Said Iri to her brother. They were both tilted their heads to the side, as if listening for something. 

"What's hap-"

Iali whipped his hand toward me and forced it over my mouth. His eyes were full of fright. Naturally, I became nervous. Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god. The word 'listen' popped into my head. And so I did. Every part of me stilled, including my heart. A quiet purring could be heard, only if no movement was made. 

Iri slowly turned her head in our direction, Iali's hand still on my mouth. Her eyes flicked slightly to the left. We both looked.

There stood something smaller than a bear, but bigger than a cougar. Very cat like, and yet, had a tongue slithering our of it's mouth like a snake. It's fur was the darkest orange I had ever laid eyes on. It made a gutteral sound in its throat.

"Run!"

We didn't care which way, or where it was that we were going. We just did what we knew how to do. Our arms pumped at our sides and our legs carried us further and further. I was running faster than I ever had before, I turned to see only Iali slightly behind me, becoming slightly oranger in the face. But no Iri. 

I abrutly stopped.

"Keep going! Run!" Exclaimed Iali.

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Said a new voice. I turned wildly to the left to see who had said. And there, cutting a path towards us, was the Doctor.

"Doctor!!" I said.

"Do you know this man?" Asked Iri. Once he was within reaching distance, I smacked the Doctor on the arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" 

I hit him again.

"OUCH! What was that for??"

"That was for letting me end up in who knows where! And that was for showing up with such terrible timing!"

He assessed this for a second and shook his head. "What matters now is that we have to get away from that-" He pointed at the beast behind us. "Who probably wants to eat our insides-if I'm not mistaken by the species." He said while trying to get me to run again.

"No! Iri! She's still there. Iri!" I called.

"Go! I got him!" She quickly dodged to the side to avoid a swipe of it's paw, and took out her hunting knife.

"Oh! Iri!" Her brother started running towards her. 

Iri jumped onto the beast's back from behind after dodging it and swung back her knife to stab it. But it was quicker. It bucked her off till she landed a large 20 yards away, the wind knocked out of her. She gripped her ribbs, silently crying out. Iali rushed towards her, trying to help her up. But they'd never make it, the beast was already closing in. 

A short distance away from me was the knife Iri had tried to use on it. I noticed it looked like it was dripping a dark purplish substance. I picked it up and gave myself a running start.

"Phoenix, stop!" Cried the Doctor. I ignored him.

Once I was about ten feet away, I flung the knife with all my might at the beast's heart. I didn't hit where I'd intended but it was still a neck shot. It cried out in pain when it connected and started to stumble. None the less, still charging after us.

"Go!" I said as Iali finally lifted her and began to run. Once I reached the Doctor yet again, he stood there frozen.

"Thanks for the help!" I said sarcastically and pulled on his arm to follow me. He looked stunned.

"What exactly is its species?" I puffed out.

"A descendent of their native cat and native snake, known as a Felenguis. It has a surplus population due to the fact that hardly anything that can kill it has been a killed by a mob of them." He explained once he regained his thoughts.

"Wrong." Said Iali. He was a bit behind, but hanging on.

"Excuse me?" The Doctor asked while quirking an eyebrow. Iali's responce was cut off at the sound of the beast's growl that sounded very, very near. "This way!"

In a world of orange, it's not very hard to spy blue. Before I knew it, we had reached the Doctor's humble abode and slammed the doors behind us.

"Okay? What sounds good?" The Doctor asked.

"What?!" I asked stunned. 'What sounds good?' Uh.....LIVING!

"Oh, right." He said. "You don't know. So, I'm a time traveler. Not really important right now..." He turned towards Iri. "What's a safe place here?"

She looked utterly confused, but none the less picked herself up. "Um, the end of lake Tylee near Saesar's castle."

"Alright, hold on tight. It might be a bit bumpy!" The Doctor had a huge grin on his face. Like he lived for stuff like this.

The Doctor fiddled around on the console and.....we moved. We moved! The heck? Many sounds happened at once. The whoosh sound coming from I guess the console, the fading thump.... thump of the Felenguis's paws smashing against the ground as it had ran after us. And then a final 'dong' as it all stopped, like a clock. 

"We've landed." He said as he began to fiddle some more. Iri and Iali shared a look, as if they reached a mutual agreement, and Iali began to walk towards the door.

"Landed?! Landed! What could you possibly mean 'landed'?! How could we have gone any where? Ho-how...?" I felt like I was going into hysteria.

"He means we've landed." Came Iali's voice. I looked to him, then the Doctor. Him, the Doctor yet again. Ultimately, I slowly started walking towards the door. Iali stepped out of the way and gave me a slight nod. 

Around me stood a new scenery. The orange sky was much, much brighter than it had been before. So bright it was blinding. A river floated to my left, looking like it went on and on for miles. To my right was something much closer. A scale of glass buildings was there, there as if they had been there since the beginning of time. There as if they had been there before we entered the blue box.

I turned back to the Doctor, my movements still continueously slow. Calculating. I stared at him as he fidgeted under my gaze. 

I picked up my bag and left. I walked out as Iri called my name.

"Phoenix, wait! Wait!"

I kept going.

"Stop." The Doctor said simply. I turned on my heel.

"Why?" I returned just as simply back at him. "Why? So I can get caught in another chase. So I can take the chance of possibly being eaten to death?"

He stood there, silently. Had nothing to say now, did he?

"You show up in my world with your blue box, and I don't know what to make of it. And then I get snatched up by trees and I'm stuck on some planet I've never been on. After two days, two days, Doctor; you show up. You show up yet again with your blue box and tell me you're a time traveler? My life is going topsy-turvey and it's because of you. Before my life was-"

He cuts me off, stepping closer. "Plain, bland, what's the word.....normal?" I stared mouth agape at him. "Sunshine and rainbows? Everything that it couldn't be but feels like it is? No. Don't you see?"

I tried to see. I looked toward Iali and Iri, their extradorinary beauty. The orange sky above me. This time traveler infront of me.

"Believe me when I say....you. You, Phoenix, are far from normal."


	7. Trust Me

I was sitting on a rock as the sun was beginning to go down, processing new information. 

He'll tell me something, the Doctor, and I think ok, yeah. I got it. And then he'll continue into this massive web of history that's long enough to be its own show.

"So...how old are you exactly?" I asked slowly.

The Doctor gave me a wicked smile. "There now, don't you know it's rude to ask someone's age?"

I almost returned it. Truth be told, I was still cross with him, though I knew it wasn't entirely his fault that I was here. 

"And it took you two days to get here because....?" We were going through this series of asking questions and answering, like a game. 

He looked down, not as much humor in his face as before. "It doesn't work on wood." And before I could ask him to specify, he held up the toy-like wand he had tried to explain earlier. "One of its downsides. I had to scan the bark in order to find its orientation. You know, planet? Turns out only two of the trees in that area were not from Earth. Took me awhile."

"Okay....so you have your screwdriver thing. And you scanned the bark with your.... sonic box?" I said while pointing to the blue box a few feet behind us.

He literally laughed out loud. I blushed with embarassment even though I didn't know the reason. "N-no," He said as he recovered. "That's the TARDIS. Stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

After a short amount of time of him explaining more and more information, Iali and Iri came back from hunting for our meal. They nodded curtly at me and all but ignored the Doctor.

"Alright, so seeing as we missed introductions, I'm the Doctor." He stood and held out his hand for them to shake. At this too, they ignored. He cleared his throat. "So-"

"Listen." Iri interuppted. "We don't care who you are, got it? We've already taken on another passenger in our voyage." She pointed at me. "We don't need another. So, there is no point in introductions. This is our planet, welcome and goodbye!" She finished rather sassy-like.

"He's not the enemy." I said on his behalf. After a side glance at him, "At least, I don't think so."

Iali pulled me aside after my attempt of defending the Doctor, laying a hand on my forearm. "You're leaving then." It was more of a statement than a question. His eyebrows were pulled together in a sick kind of way, like he wasn't feeling well. His mouth was set in a grim line. "After everything, Raela." His big eyes stared bullet holes into my skin. They were a light yellow now, as it was slightly darker at the moment, though there wasn't any nights here. 

I gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean, 'after everything'?"

He looked to each side, as if searching for an answer."I've never met anyone like you." Though it sounds so cliche, it was true. And I'd never met any one like him. I'd never met an alien, cancel the Doctor. 

"What does 'Raela' mean, anyhow?" I asked curiously. 

He chuckled slightly."It represents the child of beauty or wonder."

My head was still bubbling with new information. He sighed. "I guess you're just going to leave me to the Felenguis." He squeezed my forearm, the same one that has been there this whole time. He did so in a playful way. It gave me tingles and I moved away. 

"The Felenguis...." I mumbled, deep in thought.

"Yeah....?"

In a quarter turn, I grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the Doctor.

"What was that each of you were saying about the Felenguis? The Doctor said something and you said 'wrong'. Why?" I directed at Iali. 

"Yes, I said that the Felenguis is the most dangerous predator because it travels in groups and-"

"Still wrong." Stated Iri. "That Felenguis is probably one of the last ones out here."

The Doctor stilled, pure shock peaked on his face. "W-what?"

"The Felenguis was one of the most dangerous predators, and it used to have a surplus population."

"'Course.... that was before the hunting started." Iali finished. They had serious expressions on their faces and yet, they were still a little sad. "They're becoming extinict."

And before I could even get the word 'why' out, Iri was starting up again.

"The kingdom saw them as a threat. They were killing off other animals that we usually ate. And the Felenguis's meat is too tough to even cut through, so appartently unedible. To get rid of them, the King's men poisoned their water supply- the river. By getting them depressed, they saw no will to hunt and starved. Weird tactic, I know. But I suppose it worked. That's why we told you not to drink it."

We all pondered this; it was as if a sad quality had been added to the atomsphere.

"Then how is that one still alive? Did it find another water source?" I asked.

"Doubtful," Piped in the Doctor. "For it to be so close to the posined river.... this doesn't make sense. Who serves this beast's drinks?" He mumbled as if thinking out loud. He looked around, looked at the strange world around us. "Something feels... off."

Iri say by us in a huff. "Yeah? And whatda' you know?"

Despite everything, I had to give the Doctor some credit. He did save us from the Felenguis, and was in fact a freaking time traveler. And so, on his part, I answered Iri with: "Enough."

Iali turned me slightly facing more towards him and put his hand on my knee. "Do you trust him?"

I looked up into his hesitant eyes and made sure to direct my next statement at both him and Iri. 

"I trust that he won't let anything happen to us. If anything.... trust me." 

And he did, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he did. Iali had decided to trust me. Iri gave her throat a good clearing before saying, "Let's hope it's enough."


	8. There's Game Afoot

After a while, I started to change my mind about my faith in the Doctor, if you even want to call it that. For what felt like hours and hours upon no end, the Doctor has not made any noise. In speaking terms, of course, he's made plenty of noise fumbling around with different things.

Ever since our conversation about the Felenguis, the Doctor has spent his time pondering and examining. Examing the food, the grass, and- much to Iri's disdain- the weapons. At one point, he was even giving Iali wierd glances evernow and then, flicking his eyes supiciously. Right after, he flicked Iali on the shoulder. 

"Hey!" Exclaimed Iali. Rubbing his arm tenderly. His expression is one of a child mending their 'boo boo'. 

"Sorry." The Doctor was practically breathing his words. "Had a theory...." He trailed off to only get distracted by the buzzing of a near by bug.

"And....?" Iri prompted irritaly. The Doctor continued his business until he noticed we were all staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, sorry. What?" I thumped my head and Iali sighed.

The Doctor was in a rather silly position. He was bent over, almost sitting on his knees, looking at a bug on an orange flower. As it flew away, he began to crawl after it. As he clumsily wobbled around I couldn't help but think, My goodness.... he's gone mad.

As time in silence grew, so did the wind. It was so load and getting to the point to were my hair was whipping in my face. I gave a soft huff as I tried to find a good angle to position myself to the wind.

"Alright!" The Doctor stood up stick-straight. "I've decided."

"Finally," I said. "Wait, on what?"

He sent a smirk my way. "I'm going to, 'pick up the case' as they say." We stared blankly at him. "You see, this world is too different."

"Well, duh." I interrupted. Fellow Earthian here! 

"That's not what I meant. I didn't mean in comparison to Earth." He stepped closer to me and crouched infront of my log. Looking into my eyes, he said, "You don't think anything, anything about this planet- Celosia- seems off. Like... not how it should be." Oh, he was being crazy again.

But none the less, I have felt wierd here. And I don't mean like being in a world that is so different from mine.... I mean that even now, just looking around me, I feel like I'm seeing something wrong. That something is missing.

"The color...." I was concentrating so hard, even though I didn't know why, that I was starting to feel a little sick. The scene around me was spinning.

"Yes! That's right." He exclaimed. "What about the color?"

"Well, it's orange for one." I mumbled. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it. 

"No! Concentrate!" He says.

"I can't....? I-it hurts." What was going on? 

He didn't even look surprised. "Come on, come on." He pressed. 

Ringing my hands together, I tried to make my self focus on the feeling in my hands and not the burning in the back of my head. But all of me was starting to feel that burning sensation. Wait.... burning!

"You said.... Celosia?" The Doctor nodded vigoursly, encouraging me. "Celosia.... burning." My head was loling slightly. It felt so heavy.

"Stop it! You're hurting her!" Iali touched my arm, but pulled it away quickly. "Ah! You're skin it's so hot!"

Next thing I knew, Iri came running with our bucket of purified water and poured it all down my face. Gasps flooded around me. I felt instent releif as the water rushed across my skin as if in a race to the finish line.

The Doctor whistled. "Phoenix... look." He said gently now. The wild around us was suddenly quiet.

My eyes fluterred open and the first thing I saw was orange. All around me, everywhere.... orange. But this was no regular Celosia orange that we had witnessed here. Everything in a five feet radius was bright, bright orange. It was blinding. The worst of it all was that it came out in streaks, like it had burst from inside of me. 

I fell back on my hands and more orange burst from there, assuring my thought. Everything I was touching, became bright orange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stick with me.... because it's about to get good. I apologize for uneven updates! Happy reading!


	9. There's Game Afoot Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Whovians! So, due to the fact that I thought my previous chapter (There's Game Afoot) was too short I am making a part two. And here it is....

Despite earlier disorientation, I fell into sharp clarity. The world around me was now focused, like some one had popped on a lens to a camera. None the less, I was still confused.

I stood quickly, backing as far away as possible from my previous sitting spot. As far away from the explosion, or whatever that had been. The log that I had been sitting on was now coated in a deep, yet bright orange. It even had a bit of yellow in it. Splatters continued on the ground around it. Like it had hurtled out of something.

Like it had hurtled out of me. 

I shook my head, as if ridding myself of thoughts of nonsense. "Doctor, what was that?"

He just stared at me, as if seeing me for the first time.

"Doctor, I don't know what's happening." Silence. "Is that all you're going to do?! Sit there and say nothing! Answer me. I-I don't.... I don't know what's going on."

He came closer to me, hesitant. "Oh, I think you do." I stared blankly at him. "I think you know more than you think."

"W-what?"

"Don't worry, it's not an accusation. I'm saying your mind is keeping stuff from you. Hence," He pointed at the log. "the state you were in. It's like your own body was fighting you. Something was stopping the words coming out of you mouth... maybe even into your thoughts."

I sat where I was, not caring about the rock under my thigh. "Like a filter." I mumbled so quietly that I was surprised he even heard me.

"Brilliant." He breathed. "Yes, like a filter. A form of a perception filter, I think."

Iali crouched near me. Near me. It was like he didn't want to get too close. There was a good three feet between us. In a caring yet weary voice he said, "Are you alright, Raela?"

I ignored him, hurt panging in my chest. 

It was then that I saw a lump in the midst of the orange-yellowish mess.

I shot up. "My bag!" I ran over to it. The book I found, Melody Malone, was peeking out of the top. I guess it fell out a little when I fell. The whole top rim of it was smeared in the coloring. I tried to wipe it off, but it was already dried on some how.

In my efforts to clean it, the Doctor gently took it out of my hands. 

"Uh, it wasn't even mine! Now look what I've done to it."

The Doctor was flipping through the pages. "Why do you even still have this?" His voice was so broading and distant. He suddenly stopped at the last page. He froze on the spot. "If it's not yours.... then why is your name in it?"

I grabbed the book from him, cursing under my breath. There, literally inscribed into the back cover, was my name. In big, cursive letters it said. And yet, that wasn't even the wierdest part. It was the inscription after it.

Phoenix of Celosia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it. Penny in the air.... penny drops. Happy reading!


End file.
